Products such as liquid detergents, soaps, bleaches, fabric softeners and the like are currently being sold in containers which require the user to determine the amount of liquid to use for a specific use of the product. Some of these containers have caps which may serve as a measuring cup to assist the user in pouring out a desired quantity of the product and, hopefully, to keep the measuring cup close at hand after the product has been opened, such as in the laundry room and the like. Instructions on the containers provide the user with helpful information in determining the correct or optimum amount of liquid bleach, for example, to use for the intended size of the laundry load, type of clothes being cleaned and particular fabrics.
It has been found, however, in a survey of users of such household liquids that most people merely pour out an estimated amount of the liquid based primarily upon their own judgment and experience, or lack thereof. Very few users bother to take the time to measure the quantity, either with the measuring cap or not, because doing so requires extra time and two hands to add the product to the laundry machine. As a result, the quantity of product used for similar jobs varies greatly from individual to individual. This happens in spite of the known fact that using too much or too little of the product will greatly effect the success of the job, whether it is in cleaning, wash or softening fabric or whatever. Obviously, using too much product is wasteful and expensive to the user.
While it is generally recognized by bottle and cap manufacturers that a container dispensing system which is capable of providing a measured quantity of product is highly desirable, at this time there is no known dispensing system being marketed because of the complexity and resulting unacceptable increase in cost of the product.
It is noted that there is a mouthwash product on the market which contains an adjustable measuring dispensing system. In this system, the user squeezes the mouthwash plastic bottle to force liquid into an upper chamber which is graduated with a scale. Once the user has the proper amount of mouthwash in the upper chamber, the cap of the bottle is removed and the measured amount is poured out. This system utilizes a tiny orifice between the upper and lower chambers. It also includes a vent tube to the bottom of the bottle to carry the fluid and to vent the bottle when hand pressure is released. Such a system could not be applied to the liquid detergent market and similar systems and would be totally unfeasible. Because of complexity, high cost and most importantly, technical problems dealing with the orifice, vent tube and squeezable bottle, such a system could not be employed.
There have also been other attempts to regulate the quantity of liquid removed from containers. In 1886 U.S. Pat. No. 345,112, a double ended valve is placed in a cork in the neck of a bottle. This structure is added to the existing bottle so that the stopper supports the mechanism. There is no provision for using the bottle itself as part of the valve seat and there is no vent means provided. The design further employs a ball valve at the top of the mechanism and is clearly an expensive, decorative design intended for liquids which are to be consumed. It is typical of designs which would not be acceptable in the plastic bottle and cap industry because of intricacy and cost.
Other prior art patents are equally ineffective in suggesting a product useful for today's markets. Specifically, Brawner U.S. Pat. No. 646,349 describes a device for allowing a limited quantity of contents to be removed when the bottle is inverted and shaken. This is accomplished by a stopper which prevents escape of the contents unless the bottle is agitated, causing the stopper to move up and down. It does not appear that a measured quantity is likely to be removed from a container. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 1,039,592, issued to Ray, describes a device which is designed for use with a bottle having an enlarged portion on its neck and a spider structure valve which engages a plurality of seats in the bottle. This design requires an unusual step function in the neck to provide a plurality of valve seats, none of which are valves which are seated from below. Finally, Jockers U.S. Pat. No. 2,630,593 employs a restricted passage and auxiliary chamber leading to a brush so that the brush acts as a piston to facilitate the feed of the liquid. This is a metering apparatus feeding liquid to the brush and is not a true dispensing system.
None of the above prior art teach or even suggest a dispenser which would accomplish the objects of the present invention. Prior art materials of the type described above do not offer a simple, reliable, inexpensive and acceptable solution to the problem first described above. The product must be easy to manufacture and simple to use. Otherwise, the product will be too expensive or the consumers will merely ignore the device and continue to use an estimated amount as is their current practice.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a container dispensing system for liquids and flowable powders by providing a greatly simplified and inexpensive device for dispensing a predetermined measured amount for each time the container is used.
Another object of this invention is to provide a container dispenser for liquids and flowable powders which is easy, convenient and desirable to use and which is pleasantly acceptable to a consumer.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a device for use in which only one hand is needed to pour the predetermined measured amount.
Yet another important object of the present invention is to provide a container dispenser of the type described which can be manufactured using a proven manufacturing technology and practices without special, difficult or complicated production or assembly requirements.